Blepharoplasty or Brow Lift for Female Patient in Early 20s? (photo)

I am concerned with the upper lid heaviness/overall unrefined look to my eyes...they have looked this way for as long as i can remember. I cannot wear makeup without it smearing and looking 'sloppy' and feel like my eyes make me look more masculine, especially when smiling. I have been on a few consultations and have been told multiple times that an upper blepharoplasty is what I should look into and once that a browlift would address my concerns. Which procedure would benefit me more?

Doctor Answers (22)

Eyelid or Brow procedure? (photos)

June 14th, 2012

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Interesting opinions by some other responders. The question that must be answered before considering any procedure is, "What anatomic feature is causing the appearance of heaviness that I do not like?". When the responsible feature is known, then it becomes clear where to address surgical treatment efforts, or non-surgical possibilities.

Brow shaping and upper blepharoplasty may help, and I would open the upper eyelid slightly by levator advancement because of your low marginal reflex distance. Would consider lateral canthopexy as well to slightly raise lower lid margin. Would defer brow or forehead procedure unless eyelid procedure incompletely successful.

Of course, this is only a guess based upon submitted photos. Personal evaluation must precede formulation of surgical plans.

Blepharoplasty or Brow Lift

July 12th, 2012

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Your brows are relatively well positioned in the photographs. A browlift may look strange on someone your age. I would recommend a very conservative blepharoplasty. Removing too much skin would pull the heavy skin from your brow down onto your lid, negating the effect of the surgery. I would remove a small amount of muscle and fat as well. Botox done properly could be used to lift your lateral brow a little, but only lasts for months and needs to be repeated. You might try that before surgery.

Possible upper eyelid blepharoplasty

June 27th, 2012

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In my opinion, your eyebrows are very important in defining your facial expression and character. I feel a browlift would make you look surprised. From my perspective, I would perform an upper eyelid blepharoplasty to reduce the “hooded area” of the upper eyelids.

Blepharoplasty Versus Brow lift in Young Patients

June 17th, 2012

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It appears that you have a familial type problem that I see in my office relatively frequently. Although you have features that could be improved by both an upper blepharoplasty (eyelid) and brow lift, I would recommend just doing an upper eyelid procedure at this time to remove the heaviness and skin redundancy (skin rests on your lashes in some of the photos) and at the same time shorten your muscle (levator muscle) so that it opens a bit more. The brow lift can be saved for years later.

Deflated sagging brows

June 16th, 2012

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Your eyebrow is DEFLATED, meaning it is relatively hollow. Do NOT do brow lift. Although conservative upper blepharoplasty can help with the appearance of the upper eyelid, a better option might be filler/fat injection into your eyebrows. See an oculoplastic or facial plastic surgeon for proper evaluation and treatment options.

Browlift with or without upper lid skin resection?

June 15th, 2012

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Thanks for the pictures. Your photos suggest that a browlift would be my first recommendation to elevate the lateral brow position. This will make the lateral upper lids appear less heavy and correct the concerns for a masculine appearance. For optimal support of future skin aging, the upper lid blepharoplasty should also be considered to anchor the upper lid folds in a more open position as well. So, I would recommend you consider both procedures for best balance.

Browlift vs eyelidplasty for upper lid heaviness

June 15th, 2012

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Generally, a browlift is used for rejuvenation of the upper face. During the process of aging, the position of the eyebrow often droops over time. However, even some young people show an eyebrow that is lower than the classic aesthetic ideal but this does not make them look old. In someone so young, it is unlikely that brow position is the cause of upper lid heaviness. Skin redundancy intrinsic to the upper lid occasionally occurs in people in their 20's due to a genetic propensity to laxity. In these circumstances, an upper lid blepharoplasy is the best surgical procedure for addressing skin laxity and hooding in the upper lid. Occasionally, in younger patients a neurotoxin njection (Botox) done by an experienced injector can subtly raise the brow and clean up the upper eyelid. Before making any decision, it is important to have a consultation by a board certified plastic surgeon who is experienced with both surgical procedures and the injection treatment to determine what treatment will best meet your aesthetic goals.

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